Spoilers: Set in an alternate version of season four where Ari returns after being secretly held captive.
Summary: A hot, humid evening leads to revelations and passion erupting.
Author's Note: Welcome to yet another installment of my favorite pairing being unable to keep thier hands off each other. You're welcome 💖
On AO3
On Nights Like These
“I’m going to murder Ryan,” Nikita Mears vowed, frustration evident in the rasp of her voice while she kicked back the covers on her bed. “Why the hell did we relocate everyone to Florida of all places?!”
The night had already proven too suffocating to sleep, but she had always despised hot weather, as it made her irritable.
Unfortunately, such conditions also did a number on her hormones – much to her own embarrassment.
The beautiful operative did not consider herself particularly lustful, and though she had enjoyed the benefits of physical intimacy in her few relationships: it had not been a requirement to keep her involved.
Of course, all of that was in the past and her romantic future was now more uncertain than ever due to recent developments.
The last thing Nikita ever expected to stumble upon at a Shop facility in Dubai was an alive, clearly tormented Ari Tasarov.
The reveal resulted in equal parts heartbreak and shock. Learning that the man who died in her arms nearly a year prior had been a double instead of the real deal served to fill her with admittedly righteous anger.
In spite of how much their adversary, Amanda Collins, deserved the wrath aimed upon her, there also had not been enough time to exact revenge. Once Ari was retrieved into Nikita’s custody: the pair had mere moments to make it out of the building before it exploded.
The decision to have the Gogol defector remain with her and share a home was the easy part, but in the weeks since – she started to realize that her feelings for him veered way past platonic.
Then summer hit, which led to her current predicament, and dwelling on the situation wasn’t going to help.
With a tired huff, the former assassin shook out of her reverie, rolled onto her side, and attempted to get comfortable.
When she lived on her own, it was a simple matter of not bothering with clothes; however, she knew that wandering around completely naked was definitely frowned upon with company in the house.
The minute she contemplated such a scenario, even briefly, a certain individual invaded her thoughts and prompted a blush to spread over her pretty features.
“Ugh, this is ridiculous,” she grumbled, burying her face in the pillow.
It was proving increasingly difficult to stop thinking about Ari in those moments late at night. She easily pictured his striking, handsome face and how impossibly blue his eyes were. As her fantasy spun out, she imagined the way he could kiss her and the touch of his hands while they explored her bare skin.
She groaned in aggravation and flopped onto her back, taking the time calm the arousal that had bloomed inadvertently to the best of her ability before she decided that a change in location was in order.
After wrapping a thin robe over her sleep wear, Nikita padded as silently as possible towards the kitchen. Her intent was to grab a cold drink and then head out onto the patio, but she nearly slammed into the doorframe upon discovering that Ari was already there.
And that he was shirtless. Because of course he was.
The desire still steadily coursing through her system ticked up another notch due to his state of undress. She swallowed a moan, her gaze wandering avidly along the sculpted planes of muscle that were visible, even when he was in profile.
Her new partner was preoccupied with a carton of ice cream. With dedicated focus, he scooped out a liberal portion and then dropped it into a bowl placed on the counter.
Her heartrate jumped erratically as she watched him, the ordinarily simple action seeming erotic for no other reason than her impulses scrambling for control.
She was hesitant to make her presence known, since she didn’t want to startle him, but then the corner of his mouth curved into a knowing smile and those eyes of his twinkled before he swiveled to face her. “Would you like some?”
I’d definitely like something, she thought, before nodding an affirmative and then making her way towards him. “Yes, please. Do you need any help?”
“Not with this, but if you could grab two spoons, I’d appreciate it,” he focused his attention back on the dessert while he grabbed another clean bowl from the rack of dishes nearby.
“Got it,” she procured a set from one of the drawers and quickly returned to his side.
“Couldn’t you sleep?” he passed one dish over to her, concern evident in the deep timbre of his voice.
“It’s difficult with the heat and humidity,” she admitted, gratefully accepting the treat and digging in. “How about you? Any more nightmares?”
“They’re subsiding,” he walked over to the freezer, placed the carton back inside, and finally joined her in enjoying their midnight snack. “I imagine that I’ll rest easier after more time passes.”
“The whole abduction shouldn’t have happened in the first place,” she swirled a bit of softening ice cream around with her spoon. “I should have known that something was up. Amanda was so quick to shoot; to let you –” her words faltered as the memory of that awful evening resurfaced.
“There was no way you could have predicted what she was truly planning,” her companion’s resonant tone was quiet, but serious enough for her to turn towards him.
The way he looked at her was enough to render her breathless. It was as if he could peer directly into her soul, sweeping her off into a sea of blue and stormy gray that was easy to get caught in.
“I just feel like I could have done more,” she managed.
“That night wasn’t your fault,” he shook his head adamantly.
“Ari, I was so focused on getting a win over her that I was careless. Double or not, he didn’t deserve to die like that.”
“No, he didn’t, although I’m slightly relieved at the same time. The idea of an imposter living my life and attaining the things I wanted…” he trailed off, a faraway look surfacing as he pondered the scenario.
“What do you think he would have done?”
“I can’t say for sure. The Shop programs the clones to be perfect copies, which means that it’s likely he harbored not only my memories, but my feelings as well. He might have tried to join up with Division like I was planning if I’d made it back,” he shrugged. “Or he might have betrayed you at the first chance he got. Who’s to say for certain?”
“You wanted to join Division?”
“I want to be by your side, wherever that happens to take me, Nikita,” he pushed the now empty bowl aside on the counter and inched closer.
They stared at each other, the silence stretching between them, until her resolve eventually snapped.
She completely abandoned the remnants of her dessert in order to reach for him. Her fingers weaved into the silken strands of his hair, which was longer after his time in captivity, so she could bridge the tiny distance that remained and claim his mouth in an urgent kiss.
Whatever surprise that he must have experienced by the sudden action faded away quickly, his hands clasping her waist while he returned the affection as enthusiastically as she had initiated it.
Nikita found herself trapped between Ari’s taller form and the refrigerator once he maneuvered her away from the marble island that took up the center of the kitchen.
His lips gradually strayed to pepper light, feathery kisses along the column of her throat. She tipped her head back to grant him further access, a pleased sound emerging when he licked playfully at her clavicle before he paused and then muttered. “Stay here for a moment.”
“What? Why?” she couldn’t hold back a disappointed whine.
“Trust me: the last thing you want to leave lying about is melting ice cream,” he chuckled and then leaned back in to steal another kiss before promising that it wouldn’t take long to clean up.
She watched him hurry through the process and stretched languidly against the steel door. Even with an additional layer of fabric, it was cool enough to cause goosebumps to prickle along her skin beneath, and she wondered how he would respond if she requested that they continue right there.
Just the thought of making love somewhere other than a bed caused warmth to immediately pool below her stomach. She had never really gotten the chance to be adventurous before with intimacy, yet the butterflies swirling around her stomach were less from nerves and more from anticipation.
Ari completed his task and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Nikita cast her robe to the floor and prop one foot against the appliance, adopting what she hoped was a seductive pose before she crooked one finger to beckon him.
“Not that I mind,” he sauntered forward slowly, his gaze roaming appreciatively over her athletic frame, which was barely hidden by a cropped, pale blue tee shirt and matching underwear. “But I must ask – why now?”
“You mean besides the fact that this weather makes me unbearably horny?” when he was close enough, she dared to run her hands over the breadth of his torso, luxuriating in the sensation of his warmer skin beneath her palms.
His fingers skimmed across her exposed abdomen to coast up, gradually sneaking under the hem of her top and thumbing over the base of her breast. “Humor my curiosity,” he touched their foreheads together, the stunning blue of his eyes glittering invitingly as he nuzzled her.
“The truth is, I don’t want to waste more time,” she caressed at the soft hair that dusted his chest, honesty materializing on her face when she peered up at him. “I realized how much you meant to me too late before, Ari. I know this feels like we’re rushing but –
He shushed her by placing his fingers over her mouth. “I don’t want to waste another second either. I just want you to be sure.”
“I am,” she surged up to kiss him again, draping her arms around his neck. “I’ve never been so certain of anything.”
They fell into another ardent embrace, exchanging teasing bites at each other’s lips while he nudged a knee between her legs and pressed as close as possible.
She could feel the evidence of his want for her when they aligned, resulting in her hastily loosening the drawstring to the pajama bottoms he wore so she could ease them off with little resistance.
Ari nibbled at the curve of her jaw, those clever fingers delving further below the edge of her shirt to inch it over her chest, causing a pleased shudder as he whisked it the rest of the way off.
They were both entirely nude once he worked her underwear down her legs, colliding eagerly in another passionate embrace as they finally gave in to the feelings that they had denied for far too long.
Nikita gasped against her lover’s mouth while he pinned her firmly against the fridge. He then travelled along her neck and shoulders, eventually drifting to devote attention to her breasts.
She arced impatiently into his ministrations, a whimper tearing from her throat when he placed hot, open-mouthed kisses on every spot he cared to worship. She dug her hands into his hair as he discovered her thoroughly, crying out at the intensity of sensation and already aching for all that he could give.
He grinned, clearly relishing the power he held over her, and ventured lower: lingering at her navel before he dropped to his knees in order to graze kisses along her inner thigh.
Ultimately: he found a very productive use of his time, artfully driving her over the edge until she was a trembling mess that he needed to catch.
“It really shouldn’t be a surprise that you’d be good at this kind of thing, and yet you still managed to amaze me,” Nikita curled into the welcome circle of Ari’s arms and lazily traced nonsensical patterns over his torso while they recuperated from the onslaught.
“To be honest, I’ve wanted this since we were in South Ossetia, so I’ve had plenty of time to consider technique.” There was more gravel evident in his usually smooth tone, indicative of how thorough they had been in their multiple bouts of lovemaking.
“Oh, really?” She grinned and crawled partly on top of him. “Are there any specific scenarios that you’ve imagined?”
“I can’t give away all my secrets,” he laughed and then drew her into a loving embrace.
They had relocated to her bed, and a fan tucked in a corner of the room steadily wafted cool air over their still flushed skin. She tugged away from the kiss, yawned, and then stretched out further to nuzzle tiredly at his throat. “This feels nice. I could stay here forever.”
“Feel free to remain as long as you like,” the hand not resting against the small of her back eased slowly along the jut of her hip, skilled fingers dancing over the tattoo of a phoenix that decorated her flesh. It was one of many that he had studied throughout the course of their night together.
Nikita tilted her head back to observe Ari contemplatively while they rested. In all of their years of knowing each other, it was the first time that he looked truly peaceful, especially considering everything that he’d recently been through.
“I should have never traded you over that day,” she raked her nails through the hair plastered to his chest, but it was her whisper that made him turn and prop himself up on his elbow.
“Nikita, I told you already: what happened back then wasn’t your fault.”
“If that was the case then why did everything seem to fall apart right after I lost you?”
“Look,” he exhaled slowly and gathered her into his arms. “I have no idea what would have happened if I’d made it back to you that night, but I know this much: I’ve always had faith in you. You’re going to find a way to defeat her once and for all, and I’ll be by your side the entire time,” his attractive features darkened even without mentioning the name of the woman who had ruined their lives. “And once that’s done, I’ll go with you wherever you wish. The only future I’m contemplating right now is one that has you in it.”
“Do you promise?” she blinked back tears, her heart clenching at the determination in his eyes. “We can have more nights just like this one?”
“I love you,” he swept his thumb over her cheek tenderly. “Of course I promise, though maybe not exactly like this one if the heat wave lets up.”
She giggled, relief spreading through her system. “Fair enough,” she leaned in and initiated one more romantic kiss to express her gratitude. “By the way, I love you too.” She then cuddled against him while mumbling that her exhaustion had evidently kicked in.
“Sleep milaya. I’ll be here when you wake,” Ari grazed his mouth over Nikita’s forehead, wrapped his arms securely around her, and nuzzled at the crown of her head before joining her in a much-deserved, undisturbed slumber.
